The Good
This is a genderbent Beowulf retelling, and though I don’t know much about Beowulf beyond the major plot points, I was still excited, largely because I’m here for any genderbent retelling you want to do. I loved the focus on female characters throughout this book, not only on the main characters but also on many, many secondary characters. While we see the problems that women face in this world, we also see their strength and the communities they make for themselves.

I also really liked the portrayal of close friendships. I find that young adult books often get caught up in romance plots, to the detriment of developing friendships. Here, the reverse is true. Tucholke develops the friendships between the girls and their traveling companion, Trigve, showing their closeness, the way they understand each other, and the way they disagree. This was probably my favorite part of the whole book.

The Bad
Unfortunately, I had a really hard time connecting emotionally to any of the characters or the things they go through. This is a violent book, and while I occasionally found myself bothered by the deaths of characters we had never met, overall I did not find myself worrying for the safety of the main characters. Because of this emotional distance, I also found it hard to understand any of the romantic relationships. While I did say that I believed the main characters had deep friendships and I enjoyed reading about their closeness, I also found it hard to understand their emotions and to understand how they interacted with new people. The main character, Frey, ends up having a fairly minor romance plot that I just didn’t buy. I liked the idea of it, but I felt no emotional connection to it at all. And that was how the whole book was for me: I really liked the idea. I liked all the ideas. I didn’t connect with any of it.

I also had a problem with how the major plot points did not tie together. I suppose this is partially to do with the original source material, but it felt like two different books and this book might have been better split in two, with more time for the reader to connect with the characters and for the characters to develop. I also felt like this book (which is marketed as a standalone) left several very intriguing plot threads hanging, which is a little frustrating, since I was excited to read a solid standalone.

The Verdict
The dark setting and close female friendships make for a good read, even though I had trouble connecting with the story as a whole.

I got this book through NetGalley to review (thank you to NetGalley and the publisher). This is a stand alone novel and was an amazing read. It reminds of a classic Viking hero story but has so much more heart and soul to it. I absolutely loved it and it was one of the best books I have read this year. I could not put this book down and was sad when it ended.

It’s so strange when you read two of your favorite books of the year back to back like this. I just finished Caraval which I adored and then go right into this book which was amazing. I think my family thinks they have lost me into books permanently!

This book follows four girls who journey as Boneless Mercies; they are basically hired by villagers to kill loved ones who are suffering in a way that is quick and quiet. However, this style of life weighs on them all...they are shunned and never have a true home. When Frey and crew hear about an epic monster that needs slaying they decide to take their chances with the monster and try to make new lives for themselves with the prize offered to whomever slays it.

This book was an absolutely amazing blend of classic Viking-style epic and adventure fantasy. I loved the adventure these girls fight through. In addition to all of this it’s a heart-warming tale of friendship, survival, and coming of age. The writing style is beautiful and just perfect. This is one of those rare books you come across that just does everything right.

Overall this was the best book I have read so far this year. I always struggle to explain why I love the books I love so fiercely like this one. This book was a perfect blend of adventure, beautiful writing, amazing characters, coming of age, action, and world-building. Highly recommended to everyone; I think this is a journey everyone should go on.

"Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies - girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.

When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

Full of fierce girls, bloodlust, tenuous alliances, and unapologetic quests for glory, this elegantly spun tale challenges the power of storytelling - and who gets to be the storyteller. Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater, V.E. Schwab, and Heidi Heilig."

Girl power!

The Boneless Mercies is a fantasy YA novel with four strong female characters. They traveled around Norseland to perform mercy killings. Having to kill children was the hardest part of their job and it drained them to do so. After their last kill, they decided to use their skills to defeat the Blue Vee, a beast that preyed on innocents and killed the many men that tried to destroy it. The Boneless Mercies voted to try to kill what no man thus far has succeeded in doing. They had skills and stealth on their side, but the task proved to be arduous and deadly.
This was a great read with many complex characters. The story itself was very creatively executed. I also liked the way the Boneless Mercies were always supportive and compassionate despite their way of living. It made the characters even more likable.
Highly recommended!

Thank you to Macmillan Publishing group for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

There was quite a bit I loved about this book, and almost nothing that I didn't like.
I want to start with the base of the book first, the writing. It felt to me as if I was listening to an oral retelling of some great battle, a story of these strong women and all they had to endure to be seen for their strength. I loved how naturally it flowed, the writing felt organic in a way I haven't read before. It felt as if I should be sitting beside a warm fire with friends in a cold night. Not in bed, under my covers, on a weeknight. But whats a girl to do??

I loved the characters and how they where very much themselves, no apologies made. They didn't feel the need to justify their scars or the events of their lives. In so many novels, the female characters have to work toward believing in themselves, that wasn't the case with this group of women, they already knew, everyone else needed to catch up.

Can I also state that I lived for the romance in this book, and frankly how very little of it there was. It was there, it was seen but in no way was it the point of the story. And I loved how it was given it's place toward the end of the book, once all of the very important business was taken care of.

I highly recommend this book, if not only for the fantasy then also for the strong women that run throughout.

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke was an amazing story! Fast paced, tragic, and completely engrossing, I really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed most of the book, but the end felt too rushed. Tucholke does a good job of reimagining the Beowulf saga and does create something new and interesting. I felt myself caring about each character, no matter how long Frey interacts with them. It took a little bit for me to get started with this one, but once I got a few chapters in, it was worth the slight struggle. I am already recommending this to many of my friends.
I received an ARC ebook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a lot of interesting folklore/mythology background that the author blended in with her world very nicely. The plot moves quickly and has a clear direction. The adventure is exciting and immersive, but I wish the main character/narrator had more depth. I came away from the book not knowing a lot about her, but I was still able to really enjoy the book despite that. It ends on a note that is open to a sequel but is still a satisfying end. Overall, this was a really good adventure read with some great female leads!

The Boneless Mercies are a group of young women who travel from town to town delivering death to those who ask and can pay. The group of Mercies who are the focus of the book are Frey, Ovie, Juniper and Runa, and a male companion Trigve. The story lives in tales from Norse mythology. Frey feels that she is destined for more out of life, and takes her Mercies on an adventure to kill a monster before they separate and pursue their dreams.

I loved this book! The writing was superb and the characters made me feel them. The story was unique and I found myself trying to hold back so I would not finish the book too quickly. The female characters were strong in their own way and Trigve was just the right balance of strength and compassion. It was a book of self-discovery and finding your path in life. It was a unique story and I found myself needing to read to see what happens and to lose myself in the world that was created. I have read one other book by the author, but I will be looking at reading some of her other books. I will follow Tucholke and anxiously await her next endeavor.

Epic tale centered around a traveling band of female mercy killers? I will take it! Oh, and they choose an impossible mission that all others have failed before? Well, let me grab some popcorn because this is the book I didn't know how bad I needed it until I read it.

This was such a great and interesting book to read. I really enjoyed it from the very first page. I mean, that opening chapter was interesting and Tucholke knew immediately how to capture the readers attention. I loved this group of Mercies. The characters were great and I loved learned about them and how they all got to be where they are. It's definitely a must read.

I absolutely loved this book! It had become one of my all time favorite books. The story is brilliant and the writing is so intensely magical. I highly recommend this stunning novel and it’s fantastic characters and plot.

This is probably one of the most empowering books I've ever read. I don't mean for this to sound glib but I seriously feel like I could kick some butt and take all the names, while simultaneously showing all of my family, friends, and foes, how much I value and respect them. I really loved this and I think teens will too!